New Testaments for Mpilo Hospital, Bulawayo: In a letter to a friend, our missionary, Mr Van Woerden, writes, that when on a visit to the above hospital (Mpilo), which is for Africans only, he asked the Matron if he might leave a New Testament on each patient’s locker. She replied that she would first of all have to consult the Med. Supt. However, when Mr Van Woerden called again she was most friendly and promised to help in any way possible.
It has been suggested by one of the mission staff that each N.T. should be stamped “Gift from the Zenka Mission.”
The cost of 550 N.T.s is approximately £100. Donations already received amount to £2.
Psalm Books for Schools: A matter of great need, Mr Van Woerden mentions, is that of having a complete Psalm Book in Zulu. Only a number of Psalms have been translated and these are printed on loose sheets, the work being done by Rev Alfred Macdonald and Mr James Tallach. With 3,000 children to instruct in the Psalms this is hardly satisfactory.
The Netherlands Reformed Church in the U.S.A., is greatly interested in our efforts to have a complete Psalm Book in Zulu, and their Mission Board at Classis West has donated 200 dollars towards this project. Mr Van Woerden writes, “We desire to thank them most sincerely for this practical help.” Pray that our workers may be enabled to proceed with this most exacting work. So much time is required, and with routine and urgent matters requiring attention, progress must be slow.
Zulu Tracts: Several teachers have helped to translate an excellent tract into the vernacular. The proofs have already been printed. Another mission has ordered ten thousand copies. (I am enclosing a copy). The title is “God is Merciful.” This tract made a deep impression on Mr Mzarno when he read it.
Landrover Fund: Mission friends in Holland have collected and sent £140.16.9d. for the new Landrover, through their magazine “Daniel.” This wonderful vehicle is making it possible to visit sick people in their kraals in places where no other car could get.
Tuberculosis Patients at Mpilo: My African helpers were very surprised one day when I asked them to look through our microscope at something that appeared to be just a dirty piece of glass. “Do you see those small red-stained rods,” I asked. “Yes, but what have they to do with this patient’s chest pains?” “Well, you are seeing those little rods a thousand times bigger than they really are. Millions of these little insects (microbes) live in that woman’s chest and will kill her if we do not help her.” My nurses gasped with amazement. Did not every African know that TB. (or UFUBA) is caused by someone putting poison in your food! It is rather a big jump from old bush-tales to modern microscopy. I have transferred several cases of TB to Bulawayo and when their sputum is negative they come back to us for further treatment.
I visited one of our patients in the Mpilo Sanatorium, a few weeks ago. The Lord is working in her heart—is TB not called “The blessed disease”? She is weak but smiles happily when the name Jesus is mentioned to her. I have given her a number of Zulu Gospels and Psalm Books, so that she can read and sing with the other patients. The Matron of this Sanatorium told me that she likes to be on duty on Sabbath afternoons, as it is quiet then and she has an opportunity to read and pray with individual patients.
A New Arrival: The family of Mr and Mrs Mzamo has been enriched by the birth of a healthy child. They now have five children, all brought up in the shelter of a warm Gospel atmosphere. Pray that they might be saved in their young days and kept from the common sins of youth, of which they will see so much around them as they grow older.
“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
(John xv:14.)